Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body: Triennial Review

Lord Astor of Hever: My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Anna Soubry) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 27 February 2014, I announced in a Written Ministerial Statement, the commencement of the Triennial Review of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB). I am now pleased to announce the completion of the Review.
	The AFPRB plays an important role providing independent advice to the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary, and the Review has concluded that the Body remains fit for purpose, delivering relevant and beneficial functions for Defence, in an appropriate governance framework. The Review Report makes some minor recommendations to improve the governance arrangements for the AFPRB, which will be taken forward by the Department in conjunction with stake-holders across Government and with the AFPRB. The Report also notes that as the management framework for dealing with service personnel issues within the Department undergoes significant change, the relationship with the AFPRB may also need to evolve over time.
	The Triennial Review has been carried out with the participation of a wide range of stakeholders across the Defence community, including the AFPRB. I am grateful to all those who contributed to the Review. The final Review Report has been placed in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body

Lord Astor of Hever: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Philip Hammond) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Supplement to the 2014 Report of the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB) making recommendations on the pay of Service Medical and Dental Officers has been published today. I wish to express my thanks to the Chairman and members of the Review Body for their Report.
	In line with the Government’s 2011 Autumn Statement, which announced that public sector pay awards will average one per cent per annum for the two years following the public sector pay freeze, the AFPRB has recommended an increase of one per cent to base military salaries for all ranks within the Medical and Dental cadre for 2014/15. In addition, the AFPRB has recommended a one per cent increase in General Medical
	Practitioner and General Dental Practitioner Trainer Pay and Associate Trainer Pay. These recommendations are accepted in full by the Government with implementation effective from 1 April 2014.
	The Government has also accepted the AFPRB recommendations for the retention of the Golden Hello scheme, but with amendments to the eligible cadres, with effect from 1 October 2014 and the removal of increment levels 20 to 29 from the non-accredited pay spine with effect from 1 August 2014.
	Copies of the AFPRB Report are available in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: 24 Commando Engineer Regiment

Lord Astor of Hever: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr Mark Francois) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 5 July 2012, (Official Report, column 1085) the Defence Secretary made a statement to the House on the outcome of the Army 2020 Review and laid out the future structure of the British Army. The announcement explained the need to restructure the Army to face an increasingly uncertain world and to create the agile and adaptable armed forces as set out in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review. Included in the statement was the withdrawal of 24 Commando Engineer Regiment.
	At the time of the Army 2020 announcement, the Army acknowledged that engagement with the Royal Navy was still ongoing, and this would refine the allocation of Army manpower available to support Royal Navy tasks. This process is now complete and it has been decided that 24 Commando Engineer Regiment will be retained although the Regiment will be reduced in size. This change will be achieved by rebalancing Army manpower within 3 Commando Brigade and allows for the best use of available resources to deliver the Strategic Defence and Security Review and Army 2020 capability.
	We envisage that these structural changes will be implemented by no later than July 2015. 24 Commando Engineer Regiment will remain in Royal Marines Barracks, Chivenor (Barnstaple).

Assisted Areas Map

Viscount Younger of Leckie: My Rt hon Friend the Minister for Business and Energy (Michael Fallon) has today made the following Statement.
	I am today publishing the Government’s Response to the Stage 2 Consultation on the UK’s 2014-2020 Assisted Areas Map. This includes the final UK Map notified to the European Commission. The new Map will replace the current version which expires on 30 June
	2014. Copies of the consultation response document and the Map will be placed in the libraries of the House.
	A two-stage public consultation seeking views on the designation of assisted areas for 2014-2020 took place from July 2013 to February 2014. Approximately 330 written responses were received from a wide range of organisations and individuals. The consultation included an interactive online draft Map that allowed respondents to search easily for areas of interest, bringing greater clarity and transparency to the consultation process.
	The Commission’s Regional Aid Guidelines (RAG) define the parameters for assisted areas for 2014 to 2020. Under the Guidelines the UK’s overall regional aid coverage may cover a maximum of 27.05% of the UK population, an increase on the 23.9 per cent coverage in 2007-2014.
	Working within the Guidelines, assisted areas coverage has been granted based on the potential to use regional aid to encourage economic growth through levering private sector investment, as well as the economic need of the locality. A strong principle underpinning the Map is for coverage to focus on areas that are able to use the flexibility provided: many parts of the UK do not have the scale of industrial or development sites necessary to exploit assisted area status.
	There was a high level of demand for assisted areas status, and given the limited population coverage available, we have targeted those areas that can benefit most. The UK’s industrial heartlands are central to the Map, and a wide range of different sized manufacturers are included, from the high-tech sectors at the core of our Industrial Strategy to the more traditional industries that still provide vital employment to many communities. Support will also be available for additional disadvantaged coastal areas. Sites and businesses that can support growth in less advantaged localities have been included, as well as many that will make significant contributions to growth at a regional and national level.
	Assisted area coverage permits the UK to provide additional financial support to firms in the designated areas. It does not itself bring specific funding. Other forms of financial support are available both inside and outside assisted areas, including aid for research and development, to improve access to venture capital and to support environmental projects.
	The Map has been sent to the Commission for approval, and its decision is expected by the end of May. The new Map is expected to come into force from 1 July 2014.

Courts: Civil Courts

Lord Faulks: My honourable friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid Ministry of Justice (Shailesh Vara) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	On 22 April, following Parliamentary approval, the Government brought into force a number of important reforms to improve the administration of civil justice and to provide a more efficient use of judicial resources.
	The reforms implement a series of proposals supported by respondents to the Ministry of Justice’s Solving Disputes in the County Courts consultation paper published in 2011. Those proposals themselves originated in recommendations made by the retired Lord Justice of Appeal, Sir Henry Brooke, in his 2008 report Should the Civil Courts be Unified?
	The changes will contribute to the Government’s commitments on efficiency and public service reforms. They:
	a. Establish a single County Court for England and Wales; b. Abolish the need for the Lord Chancellor’s agreement to High Court Judges sitting in the County Courts; c. Increase the financial limit of the equity jurisdiction of the County Court from £30,000 to £350,000;d. Increase the financial limit below which cases may not be commenced in the High Court from £25,000 to £100,000 (with the exception of personal injury claims);e. Extend the current powers of the County Court to make freezing orders andf. Remove certain types of specialist proceedings from the jurisdiction of the county courts;
	Taken together, this package of reforms will ensure that cases are issued and tried at the most appropriate level of court; simplify the task and cost of allocating cases before a judge and transferring cases between courts; streamline procedures for judicial deployment to the County Court; and ease work pressures on the High Court to enable it to focus on complex cases that truly require its expertise.

Courts: Family Courts

Lord Faulks: My honourable friend, the Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties, Ministry of Justice (Simon Hughes) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	A new single Family Court for England and Wales came into being on 22 April 2014, when Section 17(3) of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 came into force. The new court deals with all family proceedings, except for a limited number of matters which are reserved to the High Court, and it is able to sit anywhere in England and Wales. It replaces the three tier court system which had previously existed. The new structure is expected to be more efficient and flexible, simpler for court users to understand and to promote increased judicial continuity in managing cases.
	Section 9 (contact post-adoption) and many of the family justice provisions in Part 2 of the Children and Families Act 2014 were also brought into force on 22 April. This includes a new requirement for a person who wishes to start certain types of family proceedings to first attend a family mediation information and assessment meeting; a new child arrangements order, replacing residence and contact orders; restrictions on the use of expert evidence in children proceedings; the introduction of a 26 week time limit for completing
	care and supervision cases; changes to focus the court’s scrutiny of local authority care plans on the long-term plan for the child; and measures to streamline court processes for divorce and dissolution of a civil partnership.
	Section 11 of the Act (parental involvement) will come into force in Autumn 2014. Section 18 will come into force two months after Royal Assent (which was on 13 March).

Crime: Hate Crime

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Crime Prevention (Norman Baker) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Today we are publishing our progress report on the Coalition Government’s hate crime action plan. A copy will be placed in the House Library.
	Hate crime can have devastating consequences for victims and their families, and can also divide communities.
	In March 2012, we published Challenge it, Report it, Stop it, the Government’s plan to tackle hate crime, which brought together action by a range of departments and agencies under three core principles: to prevent hate crime; to increase reporting and access to support; and to improve the operational response to hate crimes.
	The Government committed to review the plan, to assess progress in delivering those actions and to ensure it addressed new and emerging issues. Today’s report provides an overview of our achievements since the plan was published and also highlights areas that have emerged or have continued to evolve, and what we will do to tackle those issues for the remainder of this Parliament.
	We have made good progress in delivering our commitments to tackle hate crime and now have a better understanding of the types of hate crimes that are committed and where those crimes are happening. We have provided direct support to frontline professionals to help build victims’ confidence to come forward, and the police have improved the way they record hate crimes. We now have a strengthened legal framework which is already regarded as one of the most robust in the world in protecting people from hatred and bigotry.
	However, findings from the Crime Survey for 2011-12 and 2012-13 highlight that hate crime is still significantly under-reported, with estimates of around 278,000 incidents each year, compared to the 42,236 hate crimes that were recorded by police forces in England and Wales in 2012-13.
	We are proud of the achievements this Government has made so far, but there is still much to do to confront the hatred and hostility that still exists in our society, and to tackle the scale of under-reporting. We will continue to work closely with a wide range of voluntary sector, community representatives and frontline organisations to drive forward work on this agenda.

Department for Communities and Local Government: Recess Business

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: My right hon Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Eric Pickles) made the following Written Ministerial Statement on 28 April when the House of Commons returned from its Easter Recess.
	I would like to update Hon. Members on the main items of business undertaken by my Department since the House rose for recess.
	Supporting communities recover from the floods
	One of our continued priorities is to ensure that those affected by flooding are given the help and support they need to help rebuild their lives.
	On 11 April, my Department announced that the Government will further extend the council tax discount to all flood-hit households for as long as they are unable to return to their homes. This extends a commitment we made in February 2014 to fund a three month council tax discount. This is expected to amount to £6 million of support, £2 million more than was originally set aside.
	To date 48 local authorities have reported that they have offered the discounts to affected residents with a further 63 actively planning to do so. This is part of wider efforts that are ensuring government departments, local authorities and agencies are working together to do everything they can to help communities recover from the extreme weather during winter 2013 to 2014.
	Protecting tenants and leaseholders
	All tenants and leaseholders have a right to fair and transparent treatment from their letting agent and we are determined to secure a better deal for tenants in the private rented sector without introducing excessive red tape that would push up rents and reduce choice.
	On 15 April, my Department announced three approved “redress schemes” that all letting and property management agents will be required to join later this year. They will ensure tenants and leaseholders have a straightforward option to hold their agents to account. The Property Ombudsman, Ombudsman Services Property and The Property Redress Scheme will offer independent investigation of complaints about hidden fees or poor service. Where a complaint is upheld, tenants and leaseholders could receive compensation.
	On 26 April, my Department outlined how the new powers to protect the rights of park home owners and stamp out unscrupulous site owners have been brought into force.
	Helping the most vulnerable people into work
	The Government is determined to test different ways of delivering support to the most disadvantaged people who want to work, but lack the basic maths, English and other skills that are vital when applying for jobs.
	On 16 April, my Department, together with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, announced support for STRIVE, a scheme that will
	give the most vulnerable homeless people the right skills and training to get into work. STRIVE, run by homelessness charities Crisis and St Mungo’s Broadway, will work alongside Jobcentre Plus to identify those who would benefit most from the scheme.
	Reforming public sector pensions
	On 24 April, the Fire Brigades Union called further industrial action over May bank holiday weekend. The Government has tried and tested contingency arrangement in place.
	The Government has met with the FBU on many occasions, most recently during April, and has remained in ongoing communication to find a solution. The Fire Minister wrote to the FBU before action was called saying proposals are still under consideration and stressed the importance of maintaining an open dialogue on this and other matters. In choosing to take its members out on unnecessary strike action, the FBU Executive Council has signalled clearly that it has no desire to progress the proposals we were considering and has effectively drawn that discussion to a close. This can only further damage firefighters’ standing with the public.
	The deal on the table gives firefighters one of the most generous pension schemes in the public sector, and the proposals protect the earned rights of a higher proportion of members than any other public sector scheme. Nearly half will see no change and even firefighters who are not protected will see no change until 2015. Under the new scheme, a firefighter who earns £29,000 will still be able to retire after a full career aged 60, get a £19,000 a year pension, rising to £26,000 with the state pension. An equivalent private pension pot would be worth over half a million pounds and require firefighters to contribute twice as much.
	The focus will now be on implementing the Proposed Final Agreement in time to take effect from 1 April 2015.
	Defending the independent free press
	The Coalition Agreement stated the Coalition Government’s clear intention to protect the independent free press by tackling unfair competition from local authority newspapers. Localism needs robust and independent scrutiny by the press and public, and municipal state-produced newspapers suppress that. “Town Hall Pravdas” not only waste taxpayers’ money unnecessarily, they undermine free speech. The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 contains measures to ensure compliance with the provision of the existing local government Publicity Code.
	On 17 April, formal letters were issued to five London boroughs, triggering the first legal steps we can now take to require compliance with the Publicity Code for local authorities. The action is being taken against the municipal newspapers of Greenwich Time, Hackney Today, the Newham Mag, Waltham Forest News and (Tower Hamlets’) East End Life.
	These councils were the ones most clearly in breach of the Code, given their weekly or fortnightly publication of hard-copy, delivered, free municipal newspapers. We are prepared to take further action against any council that clearly breaches the Code—whatever the political colour.
	Empowering people to improve local neighbourhoods
	Community Budgets are a way for local public service providers to work together to meet local needs. Community Budgets allow providers of public services to share budgets, improving outcomes for local people and reducing duplication and waste.
	On 14 April, my Department announced a further 123 communities will take control of neighbourhood schemes to boost employment, combat crime and improve the health of residents through the “Our Place” programme. The announcement signals a major expansion in the programme which is a neighbourhood level way of working that brings together councillors, public servants, voluntary and community organisations and local residents—to tackle local issues and improve the way an area works.
	Supporting vibrant high streets
	This Government is taking action to support healthy and vibrant local high streets. We are undertaking a series of measures designed to get empty and redundant buildings back into productive use and make it easier for valued town centre businesses like shops, banks and cafés to open new premises, while ensuring that councils have powers to tackle the harm to local amenity caused by a concentration of particular uses.
	In the March 2014 Budget, the Government announced its intention to create a new wide “retail use” class, excluding betting shops and payday lenders. In light of the localised concern that have been expressed about the clustering of betting shops on some high streets, we propose that any changes to the new use class for betting shops and payday lenders will require planning permission. A consultation paper on the broader planning use class reforms will be published in due course.
	On 24 April, a new advisory board met together for the first time to look at how digital technology can help create the sustainable and thriving high streets of the future. John Walden, Chief Executive of Home Retail Group will be the chairman of this new Digital High Streets Advisory Board. The group will work with the Government and others with an interest in revitalising UK high streets and report to the Future High Streets Forum.
	Backing locally-led housing development
	There is genuine enthusiasm and ambition for housing growth in communities across the country, but we need to ensure new locally-led developments are well-designed, and bring together high-quality homes, jobs, and green spaces in communities where people want to live raise their children. Over the Easter recess, we published three documents:
	• Large sites infrastructure prospectus: This £1 billion fund provides a programme of support over a 6-year period designed to address these barriers and help accelerate and unlock housing developments of at least 1,500 housing units that have slowed down or stalled completely. • Local Growth Fund (Housing Infrastructure) prospectus: This sets out the detail on how to access the £50 million part of the Local Growth Fund in 2015-16. It is designed to help speed up and restart housing developments between 250 and 1,499 units that have slowed down or stalled.
	• Locally-led garden cities prospectus: This invites local authorities to put forward their ideas for how they wish to develop garden cities, how they wish to make use of the existing central government funding and support, and what other freedoms, flexibilities and support they need to make ambitious new garden cities a reality. As an indication we would expect developments to be at or above the 15,000 homes level.
	My Department has also advertised for the position of chairman of the new Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation which will take forward the new garden settlement in that locality.
	Delivering infrastructure in Enterprise Zones
	In a further boost to infrastructure, on 22 April, I announced £120 million infrastructure investment plan to bring businesses and jobs to the Sheffield area. The Sheffield Enterprise Zone will turn £25 million of government funding into £94 million more of private sector investment so they can lay down the infrastructure needed for its premier sites at Markham Vale and Rotherham to attract new businesses to the area.
	Regenerating urban estates
	The Government is keen to support the regeneration of England’s most run-down estates, and in turn, delivering thousands of new homes. £150 million was set aside in this year’s Budget can be used to kick-start and accelerate the regeneration of such deprived housing estates.
	Despite record numbers of people living in London by 2021, the inner boroughs will still contain 1.7 million fewer people than they did in 1939. A new research study by estate agents Savills indicates that rediscovering just half of this former housing capacity would supply the whole of London’s projected housing needs for the next 17 years.
	In due course, the study will consider how to rebuild estates to deliver more homes and commercial space on the same amount of land. The homes would be a combination of five to six storey homes and blocks of flats. This approach can also increase the value of the land, attracting more private investment which, over 10 years, could lead to several hundred thousand new homes in London. Later this year, the comprehensive study will consider the best way to get started, while fully involving local communities in the design and planning process, and identify the barriers that may need to be overcome.
	Remembering our brave heroes
	An entire generation of men fought for Britain’s freedom in the First World War. For hundreds of those men their bravery was of such an exceptional nature they were bestowed with the highest military award, the Victoria Cross. As these men were honoured then for their extreme bravery on the battlefields, they should be honoured still.
	On 24 April, I announced over £100,000 to the Victoria Cross Trust for a project to ensure that the gravestones and final resting places of our brave solders are venerated memorials where communities can pay their respects and learn about their local heroes.
	The project aims to restore all the graves in need of repair. Headstones will be cleaned or replaced so that
	the final resting place of those who received the highest military award for valour are a truly fitting tribute to their sacrifice. The campaign is being supported by The Sun newspaper and in addition to the £100,000 being provided by the Department, we will also match any money raised by readers’ donations up to a maximum of £200,000.
	Last year my Department announced a national campaign of commemorative paving stones to be laid in the place of birth of First World War Victoria Cross recipients across the country so that communities will have a permanent memorial of their local heroes.
	Learning the lessons from genocide
	We have a tradition in the UK of remembrance. While we are quite rightly marking the centenary this year of the start of the First World War, we should also commemorate and remember acts of genocide in more recent times.
	The Srebrenica genocide on 1995 was the worst attack on citizens suffered anywhere in Europe since 1945. On 11 April, the Government announced it will fund 750 young Britons to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina to learn lessons from the 1990s Bosnian war and, on their return to the United Kingdom, pledge an action towards rejecting hatred and intolerance at home. On 12 April, I also addressed Kwibuka20, an event in Birmingham remembering the Rwanda genocide of 1994.
	Genocide requires constant vigilance, it requires prompt action at the first sign of hatred. Sparks of intolerance can only exist at the will of our own complacency.
	Celebrating England’s local tradition and identities
	On 24 April, my Department announced that the proud history, unique culture, and distinctive language of Cornwall will be fully recognised under European rules for the protection of national minorities. The decision to acknowledge the unique identity of the Cornish, now affords them the same status under the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities as the UK’s other Celtic people, the Scots, the Welsh and the Irish. For the first time the Government has recognised the distinctive culture and history of the Cornish, building on the existing recognition given to the Cornish language.
	England’s traditional counties date back over a thousand years of English history, but many of the counties have been sidelined by Whitehall and municipal bureaucrats in recent decades, including the municipal restructuring by Edward Heath’s Government in 1972. By contrast, this Government is championing local communities continuing to cherish and celebrate such traditional ties and community spirit.
	To mark St George’s Day, on 23 April, my Department announced a new initiative to support the “tapestry” of traditional English counties, including getting rid of a Whitehall ban on the names of traditional counties being displayed on street and road signs. We have also published a new online interactive map of England’s county boundaries.
	Planning guidance has been changed to allow for councils to put up boundary signs marking traditional English counties—for example, the likes of Cumberland,
	Huntingdonshire, Westmorland and Middlesex. In addition, the Government is shortly to propose changes to highways regulations to allow traditional county names to appear on boundary road signs. The current rules prevent unitary councils like Blackpool from having a road sign saying “Lancashire”, or Poole saying “Dorset”—since they confusingly are not considered to be part of an “administrative county”.
	No council is being forced to make any change or put up unnecessary street clutter, but the intention is to free councils from Whitehall red tape, support local tourism and to cherish local ties and traditions. Local communities will be able to lobby their councils for the restoration of traditional boundary signs, including campaigns by public subscription
	This is part of a series of steps to champion England’s national identities; the Government has previously changed Whitehall rules to allow local and county flags to be flown without planning permission, and supported the Flag Institute in encouraging a new wave of county and community flags to be designed and flown by local communities.
	I am placing in the Library copies of the press notices and documents associated with these announcements.

Department for Transport: Contingencies Fund Advance

Baroness Kramer: My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Patrick McLoughlin) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	I hereby give notice of the Department for Transports’ intention to seek an advance from the Contingencies Fund. The Department requires an advance to meet an urgent cash requirement pending parliamentary approval of the Main Estimate 2014-15.
	It was announced on 23 April that Network Rail borrowing directly from Government rather than issuing debt in its own name would provide better value for money for the taxpayer. The Department for Transport has included in total £6,500,000,000 in the Main Estimate 2014-15 for this change in borrowing arrangements. This amount includes £550,000,000 which will be taken as a Contingency Fund Advance.
	Parliamentary approval for capital of £550,000,000 for this new expenditure will be sought in the Main Estimate 2014-15 for the Department for Transport. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £550,000,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.
	The advance will be repaid immediately following Royal Assent of the Supply and Appropriation Bill in July.

ECOFIN

Lord Deighton: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	An Informal meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council was held in Athens on 1-2 April. Ministers discussed the following;
	Working Lunch for ECOFIN Members
	Ministers received a debrief on the earlier Eurogroup meeting, where the focus was the announcement of the financial assistance package for Greece. There was also a presentation by the think tank Bruegel of a paper on “Europe’s social problem at its implications for economic growth”, followed by an exchange of views.
	ECOFIN Working Session 1
	Ministers discussed recent developments in the EU economy, with the Commission pointing to the gradual improvement of the economy and growth in the UK, Latvia and Lithuania.
	The Commission and the High Level Expert Group on SME and infrastructure financing updated Ministers on the findings of the group, and possible ways forward on this initiative. The Presidency confirmed it was important to monitor developments leading on from the recommendations of the group.
	Ministers also endorsed the G20 EU Terms of Reference and the IMFC statement.
	ECOFIN Working Session II
	The Commission presented its proposal on banking structure reform, followed by a presentation from the Chair of the High Level Expert Group, Erkki Liikanen. Ministers held an exchange of views, where the UK outlined how the Government is taking forward structural separation of banks in the UK.
	Ministers were also updated on the state of play of the Single Resolution Mechanism, focusing on implementation following the political agreement reached by the Greek Presidency; and of the Single Supervisory Mechanism.

Lord Deighton: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council will be held in Brussels on 6 May 2014. The following items are on the agenda to be discussed.
	Current Legislative Proposals
	The Presidency will provide an update to Council on the on-going work on financial services dossiers.
	Parent Subsidiary Directive
	Council is expected to be asked to reach political agreement on an amending Directive to the Parent Subsidiary Directive. The Government supports the proposed amendment, which will effectively close a loophole whereby companies operating across Europe could exploit differences between Member States in the tax classification of certain financial instruments in order to reduce their overall tax liability.
	Financial Transactions Tax
	Council will hold a state of play discussion on the proposal for a Council Directive implementing enhanced co-operation in the area of Financial Transactions Tax. Following a number of working level meetings, this is the first opportunity for Finance Ministers to discuss the proposal since the Council Decision authorising enhanced co-operation was adopted early last year.
	Macroeconomic Imbalances Procedure: In-depth reviews
	Council will discuss the in-depth reviews published on 5 March and adopt a set of related Council conclusions. The Government takes note of the Commission’s assessment that the UK is not experiencing excessive imbalances, and can support the proposed conclusions.
	Follow-up to the meetings of G20 Finance Ministers and Governors (10-11 April) and IMF/World Bank (11-13 April) in Washington D.C.
	Council will be informed of the main outcomes of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors and IMF/World Bank meetings held in Washington D.C. from 10-13 April. The Government remains supportive of the Australian G20 agenda, particularly on the development of comprehensive growth strategies.

Education: Spending

Lord Nash: My right honourable Friend Minister of State for Schools (David Laws MP) made the following announcement:
	I am today announcing plans for a second phase of the Priority School Building Programme.
	Education is one of the government’s highest priorities. Even during a difficult economic climate, we have continued to invest in our education estate to ensure that the fabric of our schools is maintained and improved. Our aim is that every child will have a good quality school place in school buildings which are safe and fit for purpose. That is why over the course of this Parliament we are spending a total of £18 billion on school buildings. Thanks to the decisions we have taken to improve efficiency and reduce waste in central school building programmes, this government is building or improving the condition of almost 900 schools—twice as many as the previous government. This includes building almost 300 brand new schools, rebuilding and renovating 200 of the most dilapidated schools in the country, and delivering funding for more than 400 projects from previous programmes. Coming on top of building work undertaken by local authorities, the Coalition is delivering central government’s biggest contribution to the school estate in decades.
	Our first priority is to ensure every child has a place at school which is why we have more than doubled funding for new school places in areas of need to £5 billion. By last May, this had already led to the creation of 260,000 places, with thousands more on stream.
	It is also critically important that children can learn in a safe and secure environment. Too many schools are in a poor condition, while previous school building programmes targeted funding according to factors such as pupil attainment, rather than the condition of the existing buildings. As a result, many of the most dilapidated schools in the country missed out on funding.
	That is why we launched the Priority School Building Programme, to address need at 261 schools with buildings in the worst condition. Successful applicants were announced on 24 May 2012 and all schools are due to
	be opened by the end of 2017, two years ahead of schedule. Design work has begun at 234 schools, 28 schools are under construction, and today Whitmore Park in Coventry has become the first school to have its new building opened under the Priority School Building Programme.
	Building on the work of the James Review, the Priority School Building Programme is being delivered much more efficiently and at much better value for money than the Building Schools for the Future programme: at a number of schools work has begun in half the time, while costs have been cut by up to 40%.
	But we want to do more, building on the success of the Priority School Building Programme. So today I am announcing that, as part of our capital expenditure over the next spending review period from 2015-2021, we will fund a second phase of the Priority School Building Programme, with a value of around £2 billion.
	The original Priority School Building Programme worked on the basis of the condition of the whole school site. We will now refine this to look at targeting individual school buildings, as well as whole school rebuilds where this is appropriate, so that the department can focus much more tightly on addressing specific issues in the estate. This is only possible thanks to the data coming out of our detailed condition survey. That survey will be complete by the summer and will give us a detailed pattern of need which will be a useful tool for targeting the available resources most effectively.
	Through this extension to our already successful programme we are helping more schools and ensuring we target more money directly at those schools in the worst condition.
	Copies of the application guidelines will be available from the House libraries. Details of how schools will be selected for the new phase of the Priority School Building Programme will follow shortly, and will be published on the Department for Education’s website.

Energy: Coal Mining

Viscount Younger of Leckie: My Rt hon Friend the Minister of State for Business and Energy (Michael Fallon) has today made the following statement.
	I want to update the House on matters concerning UK Coal Production Ltd.
	The Directors of UK Coal Production Ltd (UK Coal) approached the Government at the end of January 2014 to report that they were concerned that, due to a combination of an unfavourable coal price, exchange rates and other factors, the viability of the business was potentially in doubt.
	On 21 March a private sector led consortium submitted proposals to Government for a managed closure of the operational deep mines by Autumn 2015 and the sale of the surface mining business. The proposals require funding from a number of parties, including Government, to provide the liquidity necessary to
	enable the managed closure. The proposal involves the Government contributing an interest-bearing loan of £10m alongside additional contributions from other parties.
	The taxpayer would face significant losses and liabilities in the event of an immediate insolvency of UK Coal, principally relating to redundancy and unpaid tax liabilities. Considering this, the taxpayer is better served by supporting a managed closure of the mines. The proposal is for the Government to invest alongside private sector organisations, including an experienced coal operator. This provides reassurance on the deliverability of the closure plan and therefore the repayment of the Government loan. However, deep coal mining remains an inherently risky business. There is no value for money case for a level of investment that would keep the deep mines open beyond this managed wind-down period to Autumn 2015. Private sector investors who wish to put in the substantial investment that would be needed to maintain the mines beyond Autumn 2015 without government support remain free to do so.
	It is the Government’s intention, in principle, to participate in the private sector led consortium created to avoid the immediate insolvency of UK Coal. This participation is conditional on negotiation of final terms that provide adequate protection to taxpayers, and the Government securing assurance that all parties (including trades unions) are committed to successful delivery of the closure plan.
	The Jobcentre Plus Rapid Response Service will be made available to help support the employees into new employment, and to arrange re-training where needed.
	I should also like to acknowledge the ongoing support the company is receiving from its workforce, customers, suppliers and creditors during this challenging period.

EU: Foreign Affairs Council

Lord Livingston of Parkhead: The EU Foreign Affairs Council (Trade) will take place in Brussels on 8 May 2014. Lord Livingston will represent the UK on all the issues on the agenda.
	The substantive items on 8 May will be:
	Negotiations on an EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)—the European Commission will update Trade Ministers following political agreement on this FTA last year.
	Negotiations on an EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement—the European Commission will report on the 5th Round of negotiations; report on the EU-Japan Summit of 7th May; and present their review of progress after one year of negotiations.
	Doha Development Agenda (DDA) including the Green Goods Initiative—the European Commission will circulate a non-paper on the post-Bali DDA work programme, and Council Conclusions and Negotiating Directives for the Green Goods initiative will be put to Trade Ministers for their consideration.
	Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs)—the European Commission will report on progress on negotiations with Western, Eastern and Southern Africa.
	Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)—the European Commission will report on the fourth round of the TTIP negotiations and Trade Ministers will discuss the upcoming fifth round.

EU: Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting

Baroness Warsi: My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Europe (David Lidington) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the informal Foreign Ministers meeting on 4-5 April in Athens, Greece.
	The informal format of the Gymnich allows EU Foreign Ministers to engage in a free-ranging discussion on a number of issues. In contrast to arrangements in the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC), Ministers do not agree any formal written Conclusions. The next FAC is due to be held on 14 April.
	The Gymnich was chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton of Upholland. Discussion centred on issues in the EU’s eastern and southern neighbourhoods.
	Commissioners Füle (Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy) and Georgieva (International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response) were in attendance for some of the discussions. Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, attended lunch with the Foreign Ministers.
	Foreign Affairs Council
	Ukraine
	Ministers discussed the situation in the eastern neighbourhood countries, focusing in particular on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The Foreign Secretary emphasised the importance of support for Ukraine, in particular in this crucial pre-election period. He also stated the importance of rebalancing the EU’s relationship with Russia and over the long-term reducing our energy dependency; the immediate tasks were to continue the preparatory work on the possible next phase of sanctions, and on the consequences of annexation for Crimea. Discussion amongst Ministers ranged widely over these topics.
	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Ministers discussed the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Foreign Secretary made a strong case for increasing EU engagement, aimed at supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s development into a fully-functioning state. Baroness Ashton ranked Bosnia and Herzegovina alongside Ukraine and Syria as one of the EU’s main external policy challenges.
	Syria
	Ministers discussed the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Syria, and the regime’s non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2139. They underlined the importance of the Resolution being fully implemented. Ministers also discussed progress on the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons.

First World War: Commemoration

Lord Astor of Hever: On 6 June this year the United Kingdom, along with its friends and allies, will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings—the largest amphibious landing the world has ever seen. The landings, which were crucial to the Allied victory on Europe in 1945, will be commemorated on both sides of the English Channel.
	This year is especially important, as it is the final one which the Normandy Veterans Association will officially mark. Later this year, they plan officially to disband, and lay up their National Standards at a service at St Margaret’s Church, Westminster.
	The Ministry of Defence is working closely with a range of stakeholders including the Normandy Veterans Association, the Royal British Legion, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Portsmouth City Council and the French Authorities in order to ensure that all commemorative events are a success.
	Commemorations in the UK
	In Britain, it is fitting that Portsmouth, which was one of the key strategic locations along the south coast and from which tens of thousands of allied servicemen left for Normandy, will be the main focus of commemorative activities. Portsmouth City Council is organising an impressive line-up of events and activities, with the focus being on 5 June. I would urge any veterans who are unable for any reason to travel to Normandy to consider joining the commemorations in Portsmouth.
	Commemorations in France
	In France, there will be three main events on 6 June. These are:
	• An international ceremony, organised by the French Government, on Sword Beach. Heads of State will attend this event. A number of veterans will be invited to attend this event.• A United Kingdom-France Service of Remembrance at Bayeux Cathedral, followed by a special event at Bayeux Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery.• A service organised by the local community and the Normandy Veterans Association at Arromanches.
	UK Military Personnel from all three services will provide logistic and ceremonial support at these events. This work is being co-ordinated and led by the Army’s Force Troops Command. Other events taking place in the Normandy region include ceremonies on 5 June to mark the liberation of Ranville by the British 13th Parachute Battalion—the first village to be liberated on D-Day. Members of 16 Air Assault Brigade will mount a mass parachute drop.
	Travel to Normandy for the commemorations
	As announced last year, veterans wishing to return to Normandy in June have been able to apply for financial support from the Big Lottery Fund, which has extended its Heroes Return 2 scheme until December 2015. The scheme helps Second World War veterans and their spouses, widows and widowers, and accompanying helpers, to undertake commemorative visits.
	Access to the commemorations in France
	Given the scope of the commemorations, the security required by the presence of many VIPs, and the close nature of much of the countryside, the French authorities have decided to impose an anti-congestion zone in the Normandy area around the D-Day 70th commemorations from 0600 to 1900 on Friday 6 June. Access to this zone will be controlled by means of passes, issued by the French Authorities. The Ministry of Defence is working in co-operation with the Royal British Legion, Normandy Veterans Association, Regimental Associations and others to register details of all veterans and those accompanying them in order that we can ensure that passes are available which will enable our veterans, and those accompanying them, to get to where they need to. This does not include members of the general public wishing to gain access to the area, who will have to apply direct to the French authorities.
	Last-minute accreditation and travel
	I would ask Parliamentarians to do all they can to assist veterans who may come to them between now and June to seek assistance regarding accreditation or travel, firstly by looking at the website below: https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/d-day-70 and then by contacting the Ministry of Defence at: PersTrg-DSSec-CECTMailbox@mod.uk or by telephone on: 0207 218 1431/ 0207 218 7917
	Whilst the Royal British Legion, Normandy Veterans Association and the Ministry of Defence will do all they can to ensure that all veterans are able to attend these important commemorations, please also note that receiving funding from the Big Lottery Fund to travel to Normandy does not automatically guarantee accreditation—this must be applied for separately. I would urge applications to be made as soon as possible to avoid any disappointment.

Foreign Affairs Council and Defence Foreign Affairs Council

Baroness Warsi: My Honourable Friend the Minister of State for Europe (David Lidington) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will attend the Foreign Affairs Council on 14 April. The Minister for International Security Strategy will attend the European Defence Agency Steering Board and the Defence Foreign Affairs Council on 15 April. Both
	Councils will be chaired by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Baroness Ashton of Upholland. The meetings will be held in Luxembourg.
	Foreign Affairs Council
	Introduction
	Baroness Ashton is expected to cover a number of topics in her introductory remarks, including the outcomes of the EU-US Summit which took place on 26 March in Brussels; her meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping in Brussels on 1 April; the outcomes of the EU-Africa summit which took place on 2-3 April in Brussels; the first round of the Presidential elections in Afghanistan which took place on 5 April; and the talks between the E3+3 and Iran on a comprehensive agreement on Iran's nuclear programme on 8-9 April in Vienna. We do not expect substantive discussion on any of these topics.
	Ukraine
	Ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine. The UK will focus on how to support Ukraine in the crucial pre-election period and also longer term. Free and fair elections are crucial to build confidence in a new government that will carry out the deep reforms Ukraine needs to become the prosperous and stable independent country that it aspires to be. The presidential elections on 25 May represent both opportunity and risk for Ukraine. The election process is likely to be fraught with difficulty; Russia will seek to undermine and possibly even delay the process. The UK will be proposing ideas to mitigate the risks and help the new government engage with the Ukrainian people including those regions which have concerns about protecting their cultural and linguistic rights. We will also be stressing the importance of further preparatory work on restrictive measures against Russia to ensure EU preparedness for any further escalation.
	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Ministers will discuss the latest developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). They will also adopt Conclusions urging Bosnian leaders to address immediately the legitimate socio-economic grievances of their population, making clear the EU’s strong commitment to supporting BiH in implementing the wide range of reforms needed for the country to progress, should BiH’s leaders demonstrate their commitment to immediate reform. The UK supports a broadened and reinvigorated EU effort in BiH, in response to the recent protests and the political and economic stalemate which they reflect. The UK will emphasise strongly the need for BiH’s leadership to respond rapidly and comprehensively to the population’s legitimate demands for change. The UK will also emphasise its continued commitment to BiH’s territorial integrity as a united sovereign country, and make clear that it regards recent secessionist rhetoric as entirely unacceptable.
	Syria
	Ministers will discuss the situation in Syria, focusing on humanitarian access, elections, sanctions and humanitarian aid.
	The UK will emphasise the importance of the Syrian regime complying with all the demands of the
	UN Security Council Resolution 2139 on humanitarian access, in particular allowing cross-border and cross-line humanitarian access. We will also stress the importance of the UN and other international aid agencies, including EU aid agencies, scaling up their cross-border and cross-line aid deliveries, given the legitimacy of carrying out cross-border work without regime consent in these circumstances. The UK will stress its support for the political track, including delegitimising the regime-held presidential elections. In support of the political and humanitarian efforts, the UK will ask Member States to consider putting pressure on the regime through further sanctions measures, and to contribute more funding for humanitarian aid.
	European Defence Agency Ministerial Steering Board
	The EDA Ministerial Steering Board is likely to focus on work to date developing the policy framework for systematic and long-term co-operation, called for in the December 2013 European Council Conclusions. The UK supports efforts to encourage EU Member States to invest in defence capabilities and co-ordinate requirements where appropriate, to help deliver efficiencies and address critical shortfalls. Any EU framework must not duplicate existing NATO defence planning activities and must not cross the UK’s established Defence red lines.
	Defence Foreign Affairs Council
	Maritime security
	Ministers will discuss the recent Joint Communication on maritime security from the Commission and Baroness Ashton, which sets out elements that could be incorporated in an EU Maritime Security Strategy. We support developing a more coordinated and coherent approach to existing Commission and EEAS work in this field, and will seek to ensure the final Strategy, expected in June, takes full account of the roles of other international organisations, particularly NATO.
	Central African Republic
	Ministers will receive an update on the deployment of the EU’s operation in the Central African Republic, EUFOR RCA. The UK is concerned about the ongoing security and humanitarian situation in the Central African Republic, and EUFOR RCA will contribute to security in Bangui until a successful hand-over to the African Union mission or a possible UN Peacekeeping Operation can be completed. We would like to see the operation deployed and having effect on the ground quickly, and are examining in detail possible logistic support to help achieve this. The UK has provided a staff officer to the Operation Headquarters in Larissa, but will not be contributing any combat troops.
	Eastern Partnership
	In the context of recent events in Ukraine, Baroness Ashton is likely to provide an update on the EU’s support to its Eastern Partners, including Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. We will continue to encourage co-operation with Eastern Partners in the context of the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), building on existing EU work to support and facilitate Eastern Partners’ contributions to CSDP missions and operations.

Gambling: Betting Shops

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: My Hon friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Sport, Tourism and Equalities (Helen Grant) made the following statement on Wednesday 30 April:
	The 2005 Gambling Act was introduced by the then Government with the aim of liberalising the gambling market in Great Britain. Nearly seven years on from the Act’s implementation, the gambling industry has developed in innovative ways, with new products now marketed and made available on a greater scale than ever before.
	In many local communities concerns have been expressed about the clustering of betting shops on high streets. These shops contain highly sophisticated gaming machines that now make up a greater proportion of revenue than over the counter betting. In addition, we have seen significant growth in the scale of gambling advertising. The pervasive nature of such advertising means that both children and adults are exposed to a considerably greater amount of gambling advertising than ever before.
	The Government wants to give local communities a proper voice so their views are taken into account when plans for a new betting shop are submitted. My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, is therefore proposing a re-emphasis within the current planning classes. A smaller planning use class containing betting shops will mean that in future where it is proposed to convert a bank, building society or estate agents into a betting shop it would require a planning application. In addition, the Government will remove the ability for other premises such as restaurants and pubs to change use without being obliged to seek planning permission. The Department for Communities and Local Government will consult on the detail of proposals as part of a wider consultation on change of use in summer 2014.
	Furthermore, given the growth in marketing and promotion of virtual and electronic gambling, which present fewer opportunities for face to face interaction, I believe new measures are necessary to ensure that vulnerable players are protected. I want players who use gaming machines to be in control of the choices they make. This is particularly important for users of category B2 gaming machines.
	I have therefore decided that Government should adopt a precautionary approach and take targeted and proportionate action to protect players further when using high stake gaming machines on the high street.
	I intend to require customers accessing stakes over £50 to use account-based play or load cash over the counter. Requiring better interaction between customer and operator for those engaged in high stake play improves opportunities for more effective provision of information and interventions. This measure will put an end to unsupervised cash staking above £50, which can rapidly result in significant losses. This is a sensible and balanced approach which allows players continued use of these machines on the high street, while ensuring greater opportunities for supervision and player protection.
	In addition, the Gambling Commission is undertaking a review of its licence conditions and codes of practice with a view to strengthening their measures to protect players. In particular, the Gambling Commission intends to consult on requiring gaming machines in betting shops to present players with a choice to set limits on the maximum amount of time or money they want to spend before commencing play. The Gambling Commission is also looking at how additional measures to protect players of gaming machines, such as pauses in play and messaging, should be toughened and made mandatory.
	The Government will now prepare the necessary impact assessments and regulatory measures to implement its proposed changes. I expect these changes to be implemented from October 2014.

Gangmasters Licensing Authority

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Modern Slavery and Organised Crime (Karen Bradley) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 10 September 2013, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food made a written statement to Parliament announcing the Triennial Review of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA). I am pleased to announce the conclusion of the Review. Responsibility for the GLA has now moved from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the Home Office under a Machinery of Government change.
	The GLA is an organisation which regulates the supply of labour to the farming, food processing and shellfish gathering sectors and protects workers in those sectors from exploitation. The GLA works to embed a framework through which workers are treated fairly and labour providers and labour users operate on a level playing field. The GLA also plays a significant role in enforcing the protection of workers and directly tackling those who choose to abuse the system.
	The Review has concluded that there is a continuing role for the GLA.
	The review concludes that the functions performed by the GLA are still necessary, that the GLA remains the right body for delivering them and that it should be retained as an NDPB. The review also looked at the governance arrangements for the body in line with Cabinet Office principles of good practice. It further suggested that the GLA should develop mechanisms for continued effective communication and engagement with stakeholders. The report makes some recommendations in this respect; these will be implemented shortly.
	By moving sponsorship of the GLA to the Home Office, the Government is seeking to strengthen the GLA’s law enforcement functions, supporting the Home Office’s work to tackle modern slavery and worker exploitation.
	The full report of the review of the GLA can be found on the Gov.uk website and a copy will been placed in the Library of the House.

Health Education England Mandate

Earl Howe: My hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health (Dr Dan Poulter) made the following written ministerial statement on 1 May.
	Today the Government has published the Health Education England (HEE) mandate for 2014-15. This will come into effect immediately and was developed following consultation with stakeholders.
	The mandate is published every year and sets out what HEE will need to deliver with its nearly £5 billion budget in the coming year, on the areas of:
	- workforce planning;
	- health education; and
	- training and development.
	It complements the work set out in the Government’s mandate to NHS England and the Government’s response to the Francis report, focusing on how we can support the healthcare workforce through excellent education and training so that they can continue to deliver the very best care to patients.
	The mandate will make sure that HEE delivers the right healthcare workforce with the right skills, values and competencies. The Government’s priority in developing the mandate is to train and retain a healthcare workforce equipped with the skills to deliver much more proactive care and support for patients in the community, and with the right skills to support people with long-term medical conditions to live with dignity in their own homes.
	Specifically, the mandate will:
	- support families through pregnancy by creating a workforce that can deliver personalised maternity care, improving the specialist skills needed to provide care to mothers with mental health and substance misuse issues so that specialist perinatal mental health support is available for every woman who needs it by 2017;
	- allow care assistants and healthcare support workers to break through the NHS careers glass ceiling and progress into careers in nursing and midwifery by improving the access to fully funded part-time degree courses for healthcare assistants and maternity support workers in order to ensure that staff with strong caring experience can access higher education;
	- place greater emphasis on children’s health by:
	a) ensuring the training is available to enable more GPs to develop a specialist interest in children’s health;b) improving training in child health for all GP trainees through new courses; andc) further expanding health visitor capacity and equipping them with the skills they need to carry out the important work they do;
	- make sure mental health is given the importance it deserves by:
	a) ensuring the training is available to for more GPs and nurses to pursue a specialist interest in mental health;
	b) ensuring post-registration training in perinatal mental health to ensure that trained specialist mental health staff are available to support mothers in every birthing unit by 2017; andc) developing training programmes that will allow all staff to have an awareness of mental health problems and how they may affect their patients by January 2015;
	- improve training available to GPs on the psychological and physical needs of veterans and their families by making a specially trained GP available to every Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG);
	- roll out specialist dementia training to an additional 250,000 staff by March 2015, and make these opportunities available to all staff by the end of 2018 to improve the care of people with dementia;
	- train and develop a workforce with skills that are transferable between different care settings by working with partners across the health and care system to review current curricula and training pathways, and develop common standards and portable qualifications. This will support the delivery of integrated healthcare and ensure staff can more readily work across different care settings as increasingly more health and care is delivered in the community and via primary care services;
	- contribute to improvements in public health outcomes by continuing to develop public health specialists and improving the public health skills of all healthcare staff supporting important priorities such as Antimicrobial Resistance and immunisation; and
	- ensure all recruitment into NHS funded training posts incorporates testing of compassionate values and behaviours, in addition to technical and academic skills, by March 2015.
	The mandate also tasks HEE to deliver value for money, transparency and the reform of education and training funding.
	Delivering high quality, effective, compassionate care: Developing the right people with the right skills and the right values: A mandate from the Government to Health Education England: April 2014 to March 2015 has been placed in the Library.
	Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote Office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office.

Health: European Healthcare Payments

Earl Howe: My hon friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health (Jane Ellison) has made the following written ministerial statement.
	The Government has taken the decision to cease certain payments that the UK is not obliged to make under the European Regulations governing healthcare entitlements, effective from 1 July 2014. These are payments made to UK citizens who may be visiting or residing in another Member State, and removing these entitlements could save up to £7m.
	These payments are reimbursements for European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) co-payments and residual S1 forms. EHIC co-payments are the payments individuals may need to make when accessing healthcare in another EEA country using their EHIC card where that country requires a financial contribution from its own citizens, for which reimbursements can currently be claimed from the UK. These reimbursements will cease from 1 July 2014. It will still be possible to claim reimbursements for any course of treatment received before 1 July, and for a treatment started before 1 July and continuing beyond that date during a particular stay in another EEA member state e.g. a continuous stay in hospital.
	Residual S1 forms are currently issued to early retirees moving to another EEA country and not taking up employment, providing a temporary period of healthcare cover for maximum period of 30 months, dependent upon the individual’s recent national insurance contribution record in the UK. Applications for residual S1 forms will no longer be accepted after 1 July 2014. This change does not affect current holders of residual S1s or the right of UK state pensioners to access healthcare when they retire to another EEA country.
	These payments are not required under EU law, so the UK is currently going over and above its European obligations. These proposals were outlined in the consultation in July 2013 on migrant access to the NHS and then in the subsequent government response, published in December 2013.

Highways Agency

Baroness Kramer: My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Goodwill) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	In October 2013 the Government began a period of public consultation on proposals for transforming the Highways Agency into a government-owned company.
	Today I am publishing the Government’s response to this consultation. This document summarises the main views and issues raised by respondents on the consultation questions and explains the Government’s final decisions made as a result of the views provided.
	Following the broadly positive response to most of the proposals we consulted on, today’s publication confirms our intention to:
	• Set up the Highways Agency as a government-owned strategic highways company—with the legal powers and duties to manage and run the roads, appointed by licence from the Secretary of State for Transport which sets clear conditions about how the company must act.• Put in place a robust system of governance for this company—giving the road operator the flexibility needed to operate, manage and enhance the strategic road network effectively, while ensuring clear accountability to the Secretary of State, Parliament and road users. We intend to make drafts of the governance documentation, including Licence, the Framework Agreement and
	the Articles of Association, available over the summer to support the legislative process.• Establish—for the first time—a “Road Investment Strategy” which will detail the performance standards the company will achieve and an investment programme it will deliver over the next five years. We will publish this before the end of the year.• Set up new, discrete units within Passenger Focus and the Office of Rail Regulation—to represent the interests of all those who use and rely upon the strategic road network, and to monitor the efficiency and performance of the company.
	This change represents a clear break from short-term thinking and the stop-start culture that has characterised the sector in the past, enabling the operator to deliver the biggest-ever upgrade of our road network while saving the taxpayer at least £2.6 billion over ten years.
	It will put in place the structures, commitments and relationships to support a more ambitious infrastructure programme, and allow the strategic highways company to operate more like the best-performing infrastructure companies in other sectors. It will allow government to adopt a more strategic role in managing the road network, meaning those running the roads day-to-day can be better held to account for the services they deliver, ensuring that the roads are run responsibly and in the public interest.
	We believe these reforms will deliver significant benefits to road users and to the country as a whole, including:
	• A longer term investment programme, which is vital for the many companies who help plan, build and maintain our roads who can start thinking about the skills and equipment needed well in advance• Enabling delivery of national road infrastructure fit for the 21st century, to support jobs and growth up and down the country• Providing road users with a better quality service• Driving down the cost of improvements• Creating a more transparent system with clearer accountability• Ensuring effective scrutiny and a stronger voice for road users
	Transforming the Highways Agency is an essential component of success in delivering these benefits. It will give the road operator the ability to develop a more business-like approach, attract and retain skilled staff and to deliver more efficiently—as proposed by Alan Cook in his 2011 review.
	Taken together, these reforms will provide a strong, certain framework for managing our roads. It will strengthen accountability, drive efficiency and increase transparency. It will also create far more certain conditions for investment, enabling the supply chain to gear up for the Government’s ambitious plans for the future. This will support the economy, promote jobs and skills and ultimately transform the quality of our national infrastructure. We look to move to the new model with minimal disruption.
	A copy of the Government’s response to the consultation will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The document is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-the-highways-agency-into-a-government-owned-company

Horseracing

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: My Hon friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Culture, Sport, Tourism and Equalities (Helen Grant) made the following statement on Thursday 1 May:
	I am pleased to announce today that Government will immediately be transferring the full outstanding balance of horseracing’s 50% share (£49,895,524) of the net proceeds from the sale of the Horserace Totaliser Board (the Tote) to the Racing Foundation.
	An additional £1,785,268.00 will be transferred during 2014/15 to the British Horseracing Authority's (BHA) Grant Scheme after which the scheme will be wound up.
	This follows an agreement that was reached in June 2011 between Government and the Horseracing Industry when the Tote was sold to Betfred. At the time of the sale, Government committed to share the sale proceeds 50/50 between the Horseracing industry and the tax payer. To date £30m of Tote proceeds have already flowed to Racing, with most of that money going to the Racing Foundation.
	Parliamentary approval for additional resources of £49,895,524 for this service will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Pending that approval, expenditure estimated at £49,895,524 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund (CF).

Human Rights and Democracy

Baroness Warsi: My right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr William Hague), has made the following written Ministerial statement:
	I have today laid before the House a copy of the 2013 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report on Human Rights and Democracy (CM 8842).
	The report is a comprehensive assessment of the global human rights situation in 2013. It sets out what the Government is doing through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to promote human rights and democratic values around the world in three principal ways. First, it documents how we are seeking to exert a positive influence in a range of countries where we have serious concerns about the human rights situation. Second, it assesses progress on a number of thematic issues that cut across geographical boundaries. And third, it reports on the benefits for UK citizens of our work on human rights, in terms of prosperity, security, and human rights for British nationals overseas.
	The primary criterion for inclusion as a country of concern continues to be the gravity of the human rights situation in the country, including both the severity of particular abuses and the range of human rights affected. This year we introduced a list of human rights indicators and indices in order to ensure that our analysis of this criterion was strictly evidence-based. As a result of this analysis, no countries were removed from the countries of concern category, and the Central African Republic was added to the list.
	Country case studies are a way to report on countries that do not meet the overall threshold for a country of concern, but which we judge nonetheless to be facing human rights challenges, or to be on a trajectory of change with regard to their human rights performance. The Gambia has been removed from this category, and the report features Swaziland and India as thematic case studies this year. The remainder of country case studies is unchanged from 2012: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
	Our topical theme for the report is “Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict”. Rape as a weapon of war needs to be removed from the world’s arsenal of cruelty, and the culture of impunity that surrounds the issue put to an end. It is an issue of fundamental importance to international peace and security and conflict prevention. Since the launch of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, the UK has worked with many governments around the world, the UN and other multilateral organisations, and a wide range of committed NGOs and civil society organisations to achieve greater global awareness of the scale of sexual violence in conflict, and to promote changes in how the international community perceives and responds to the issue. I am determined that political will now turns to practical action In June I am co-hosting the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, with the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie, in London. Over 140 countries will be represented and it will be the biggest meeting ever held on this issue.
	Human rights are at the heart of our foreign policy, and remain a priority for the Government as a whole. In 2013, we were successful in our bid for election to the UN Human Rights Council, giving us a greater opportunity to support countries working to improve their human rights record, and to call to account those nations that commit serious and systematic violations against their citizens.
	In 2014, the UK will continue to work on our six global thematic priorities: women’s rights; torture prevention; abolition of the death penalty; freedom of expression on the internet; business and human rights; and freedom of religion or belief. We will aim to protect those most vulnerable in society, promote human dignity for all, and respond proactively to the many existing and, as yet unforeseen, challenges on human rights that 2014 brings.
	The full report can be read at www.hrdreport. fco.gov.uk.

Legal Services Regulatory Framework

Lord Faulks: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, Minister for the Courts and Legal Aid, Ministry of Justice (Mr Shailesh Vara) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Ministry of Justice has today published its response to the call for evidence on the review of the legal services regulatory framework. A copy will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
	The Government is committed to better regulation, regulating only when it is appropriate to do so. During 2013 the Ministry of Justice published a call for evidence in which we sought ideas on ways to simplify the legal services regulatory framework and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on the legal services sector. The call for evidence was launched on 5 June 2013 and closed on 2 September 2013.
	We asked for concerns with, and ideas for reducing, regulatory burdens and simplifying the legal services regulatory framework, including ideas covering the overall legislative framework, and any specific provisions or aspects within it, whilst retaining appropriate regulatory oversight. We asked for comments on the interaction between the legislative framework and the detailed rules and regulations of the approved regulators, licensing authorities and the Legal Services Board and Office for Legal Complaints, which are, of course, independent of Government.
	A total of 71 responses to the call for evidence were received, mainly from the oversight regulator, approved regulators and their regulatory bodies, consumer bodies, practitioners, legal academics and the judiciary.
	Having considered the range of evidence collected through the call for evidence, we concluded that there was no consensus on the longer term vision for regulation. In addition, we found that the majority of responses focused on the structure of the regulatory landscape, rather than on the detail of particular burdens that could be removed. Due to the detailed legislative framework and independence of legal regulation from government, the call for evidence did not reveal any options for government to reduce regulatory burdens on legal service practitioners, or to simplify the regulatory framework, that did not entail changes to primary legislation. In light of the above, the Government has decided not to take forward any changes to the statutory framework at this time.
	However, we remain committed to reducing regulatory burdens on practitioners in the legal sector, and promoting innovation, competition and growth in the legal services market. We intend to impress upon the regulators the need to continue, and accelerate, their efforts to reduce unnecessary burdens on providers, including unnecessary barriers to entry, as rapidly as possible and to make clear progress in this over the coming months. We will therefore write to the Legal Services Board, the Approved Regulators and regulators, expressing this strong desire to quickly take forward work to reduce regulatory burdens for legal service practitioners.
	In addition, while noting that a number of responses highlighted the inconsistency between reserved activities and other legal services which are not regulated, we do not propose to extend the scope of regulation to new areas at this time.
	We will continue to investigate whether changes to the statutory framework are required to simplify the landscape, in the context of the progress made by the regulators in reducing burdens on practitioners. We will also need to consider whether changes are needed in response to the anticipated independent report by Sir Bill Jeffrey on the provision of independent criminal advocacy services.
	Any major changes to the architecture for legal services regulation will require primary legislation, preceded by further significant consideration, and consultation, before there is a definite move away from the current structure.

Migration Advisory Committee: Triennial Review

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Theresa May) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
	On 27 March 2012 I announced in Parliament, through a written Ministerial statement, the commencement of the triennial review of the Migration Advisory Committee. I am now pleased to announce the completion of the review.
	The Migration Advisory Committee provides independent and evidence-based advice to Government on migration issues.
	The review concludes that the functions performed by the Migration Advisory Committee are still required and that it should be retained as a non-departmental public body. The review also looked at the governance arrangements for the body in line with guidance on good corporate governance set out by the Cabinet Office. The report makes some recommendations in this respect; these will be implemented shortly.
	The full report of the review of the Migration Advisory Committee can be found on the Gov.uk website and copies have been placed in the House Library.

National Measurement Office: Performance Targets

Viscount Younger of Leckie: My Rt hon Friend the Minister for Universities and Science (David Willetts) has today made the following statement.
	I have tasked the National Measurement Office (NMO) to provide policy support to Ministers on measurement issues and a measurement infrastructure
	which enables innovation and growth, promotes trade and facilitates fair competition and the protection of consumers, health and the environment.
	I have agreed with the NMO that their objectives for 2014-2016 will be to:
	1. Increase economic growth, innovation and social impact through a world class scientific and industrial measurement infrastructure.2. Promote competition and fair trading both in the UK and internationally through a modern weights and measures and hallmarking regime.3. Provide good value for money metrology services.4. Protect the interests of the public, business and the environment by enforcing relevant legislation.
	The Agency will also be expected to provide professional, value for money, Corporate Services.
	The performance targets I have set the Agency are as follows:
	1. Implement arrangements for National Physical Laboratory (NPL) post March 2014 and agree the partners who will work with Government on NPL and the model under which the partnership will realise the stated policy objective of strengthening both fundamental research and engagement with business.2. Improve performance of the National Measurement System (NMS) programmes over the Corporate Plan period 2011/12 to 2014/15 as measured by the value scorecard developed to reflect high quality science, leadership and international influence, contribution to growth in the UK economy, capability to meet current and future measurement needs and active knowledge transfer.3. Reduce NPL energy consumption in 2014 calendar year by 5% from 2013 calendar year to increase the efficiency of science spend.4. Support stakeholders by ensuring at least 95% of metering enquiries are answered within three business days of receipt of all necessary documentation.5. Achieve a satisfaction rating among Certification Service customers of at least 95% for customers scoring satisfied or above, with at least 60% scoring “very satisfied”. 6. Achieve an increase in income of at least 5% for Certification Services from the 2013/14 financial year.7. Generate at least a positive 3:1 net contribution to consumers and the environment as well as the low carbon economy through the activities of the Enforcement Authority.8. Reduce non ring-fenced Admin costs by at least 14% in cash terms over the Corporate Plan period 2011/12 to 2014/15.9. Reduce the per capita overhead rate from 2013/14.

National Reform Programme

Lord Deighton: My right honourable friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Nicky Morgan) has today made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 30 April, the government published the UK 2014 National Reform Programme. The document was sent to the European Commission, as part of the European Semester.
	National Reform Programme
	Under Council Recommendation 2010/410 of 13 July 2010, Member States send National Reform Programmes each year, which report to the Commission on their structural reforms and plans.
	The UK 2014 National Reform Programme reports on actions taken by the UK as a whole, including by the government and by the Devolved Administrations where policy responses are of a devolved competence.
	The 2014 National Reform Programme:
	puts the UK’s structural reforms in the context of deficit reduction, the 2013 Autumn Statement and Budget 2014;reports on the broad macroeconomic context, which uses the same text as the UK’s Convergence Programme; reports on policies to tackle the six Country-Specific Recommendations addressed to the UK by the June 2013 European Council: continuing with fiscal consolidation; reforms to the housing market; improving the employability of young people; reducing worklessness; increasing access to finance; and improving the UK’s network infrastructure; andsets out the UK’s approach to national monitoring, in line with the five headline Europe 2020 targets agreed by the European Council in June 2010.
	The National Reform Programme is based heavily on the announcements and forecasts of Budget 2014 and the Autumn Statement 2013. It is, furthermore, drawn entirely from information already in the public domain.
	Copies of the document have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and are available on the Treasury website at: www.gov.uk/government/publications.

National Space Security Policy

Viscount Younger of Leckie: My Rt hon Friend the Minister for Universities and Science (David Willetts) has today made the following statement.
	Together with my Rt Hon Friend, the Minister of State for Europe and NATO (David Lidington), and my Hon Friends, the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (Philip Dunne) and Minister for Immigration and Security (James Brokenshire), I am today publishing the Government’s first ever National Space Security Policy. I have placed copies in the libraries of both Houses.
	The Government acknowledges that there is a continuing opportunity for strong economic growth in the UK space sector and that with annual growth rates averaging over 7.5% in recent years that it is essential to recognise that for the space sector, growth and security must be viewed as mutually reinforcing principles
	which should be supported by national policy. The Government recognises that the space sector, as well as being a high growth sector in its own right, provides via satellites vital services for other sections of our economy. The National Space Security Policy sets out how we will work to sustain access to these services, with adequate resilience against threats and hazards. The Policy reinforces the National Security Strategy, which identifies severe disruption to information received, collected or transmitted by satellites as a Tier 2 risk to the United Kingdom and meets a commitment in the Strategic Defence and Security Review to address this.
	The National Space Security Policy takes a broad approach to the United Kingdom’s space security interests, underpinning our prosperity, well-being and national security, and is based on four objectives. These are to:
	• make the United Kingdom more resilient to risks to space services and capabilities, and British infrastructure less vulnerable to space weather;• enhance the United Kingdom’s national security interests through space;• promote a safe and more secure space environment; and• enable industry and science to grasp commercial and academic opportunities in support of national security interests.
	The Government remains determined to promote the commercial and scientific benefits while ensuring the United Kingdom is a safe and secure place in which to pursue these. This includes work to promote awareness of space dependencies—for example, in highly automated distribution networks and control centres, precise navigation and timing systems and weather forecasting. The Policy also sets out how we intend to monitor and prepare against threats and hazards which might harm these interests, and our wider national security. It identifies potential threats from state-sponsored and criminal attacks against satellite capabilities and services, and hazards such as severe solar storms and growing debris in space and how these might be prevented or the impact mitigated.
	Central themes in our policy response are stronger coherence at home—across government and in partnership with industry and science—and continuing co-operation internationally with our Allies and space-faring partners.
	Through the National Space Security Policy, the Government will foster a closer space security partnership with industry and science that would allow more pooling of space security expertise and better sharing of information on space security risks, and on ways and opportunities to mitigate these. We recognise that maintaining and enhancing co-operation with our international partners is also fundamental to our space security objectives. We will sustain co-operation with the United States, as our pre-eminent national security partner, maintaining capabilities and assets which bring mutual benefit to a relationship that greatly enhances our space security interests. We will work closely with France and other key European partners such as Germany, including in ensuring that European space programmes and future opportunities for collaboration move forward on a sound security footing. We will
	continue to promote transparency and confidence-building measures at the United Nations, and through an international space Code of Conduct to which all states would benefit in subscribing.
	Implementation of the Policy will be overseen by an ad hoc Ministerial-led steering group, which will report on progress through the National Security Council.

Pensions

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: My Hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis) made the following Written Ministerial Statement on 1 May 2014.
	Under the last Administration, the cost of the Local Government Pension Scheme in England to employers (which is ultimately paid for by taxpayers), almost quadrupled from £1.5 billion a year in 1997-98 to £5.9 billion in 2010-11. This reflects the failure of the last Government to reform public sector pensions.
	This Government has taken a series of steps to protect taxpayers’ interests and ensure the long-term sustainability of public sector pensions. The cost of the Local Government Pension Scheme to taxpayers has fallen in the last two years, but the cost to households of town hall pensions is still very high—the equivalent of around £250 per taxpaying household. To illustrate this, I have placed in the Library a table showing the cost of employer contributions to each pension fund authority in the last year.
	Council pension funds spent £374 million on investment management costs in 2012-13. There is massive variation in fees. The quarter of funds with the most expensive fees paid more than four times as much as the quarter of funds with the cheapest (research by Investor Data Services, May 2013). This illustrates the scope for administrative savings that could be made from greater joint working. In addition, there is also potential to increase investment returns.
	The Government has today launched a consultation that sets out how fund authorities in the Local Government Pension Scheme can deliver significant savings of up to £660 million a year, by adopting a more collaborative and efficient approach to investment. The consultation, which has been developed closely with the Cabinet Office, also provides a response to the call for evidence into the future structure of the Scheme which closed at the end of September.
	The consultation is the culmination of three sources of evidence—the public call for evidence into the future structure of the Scheme; the recommendations of the Shadow Scheme Advisory Board, based on the responses to that call for evidence; and detailed cost-benefit analysis provided by Hymans Robertson, who were appointed following a competitive tender process using the Contestable Policy Fund.
	Having considered these sources of evidence, it is clear that using common investment vehicles for both listed and alternative asset classes can help the funds achieve economies of scale and deliver savings. Indeed,
	as the analysis in the consultation demonstrates, using common investment vehicles to access alternative assets instead of investing in fund of funds has the potential to achieve significant savings, rising to £240 million a year after ten years, if all funds participate.
	The evidence also shows how making use of passive fund management for all listed assets, such as bonds and equities, can deliver substantial savings. Adopting passive management for listed assets would achieve savings of £230 million each year through reduced investment fees and a further £190 million in lower transaction costs, without affecting overall fund performance; these savings can be achieved quickly, within one or two years.
	The consultation, which will remain open until 11 July, outlines the Government’s proposals and seeks views on the proposed reforms. It also asks respondents to consider how, if adopted, these proposals might be implemented most effectively. I will update the House in due course.
	I have placed copies of the associated documents in the Library of the House.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: My Honourable Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Brandon Lewis) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government has laid before Parliament the Local Government Pension Scheme (Offender Management) Regulations 2014. These amending regulations will protect the pensions of both existing and former probation staff as they move to the new probation structures on 1 June 2014, provide certainty and security for transferring members, and prudently manage the accrued rights of members involved in the provision of probation services with the legal and orderly transfer of the assets and liabilities in respect of those members.
	The regulations secure continued pension provision in the Local Government Pension Scheme for staff transferring from 35 probation trusts when they cease to operate on 31 May 2014, to either the National Probation Service, which will be a part of the Ministry of Justice, or one of the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies selected, after an open public exercise, to provide certain offender rehabilitation services.
	Amendments to the Scheme are needed because those staff transferring to the National Probation Service would, usually, be offered membership of the Civil Service Pension Scheme. The Community Rehabilitation Companies can be admitted to the Scheme through existing admitted body status provisions. Allowing transferring staff to remain in their current pension arrangement will assist the smooth transition to the new arrangements and give transferring staff reassurance because their pension arrangement does not change when their employment changes.
	The regulations also provide for the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to be responsible for all pension administration for the new arrangements for probation provision. When probation trusts cease to
	operate, the Scheme assets and liabilities in respect of current and former probation staff will move to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. A framework for the transfers has been provided to facilitate the smooth movement of assets and this framework is set out in actuarial guidance issued by the Secretary of State, who has consulted and received actuarial advice from the Government Actuary’s Department.
	Taxpayers get value for money as there are no lump sum exit payments, to meet any cash shortfalls, when the probation trusts cease to participate in the Scheme. This is because the asset transfers are managed in an orderly and transparent way for all affected administering authorities, and liabilities will be prudently managed through the National Probation Service or Community Rehabilitation Company. Local tax payers are also protected from the possible risk of contractor failure by way of a Ministry of Justice guarantee to protect the Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Personal Independence Payment

Lord Freud: My honourable friend the Minister for Disabled People (Mike Penning MP) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The Government has committed, through the Welfare Reform Act 2012, to carry out an Independent Review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment within the first two years of operations.
	I am pleased to announce today that Paul Gray CB has been appointed to carry out the first Independent Review.
	Paul Gray has held the position of Chair of the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) since November 2011. Prior to his retirement from the Civil Service in 2007, he held a number of senior positions including Executive Chairman of HM Revenue and Customs and Managing Director, Pensions and Disability in the Department for Work and Pensions.
	During the period of the review Paul Gray intends to stand aside from any consideration by SSAC of issues relating to Personal Independence Payment.
	The review will provide valuable independent insight into the how the assessment process is operating in its early stages.
	Paul Gray will present his report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions before the end of 2014.

Planning

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: My right hon Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (Eric Pickles) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	This Coalition Government has reformed the planning process so that communities themselves have the opportunity to influence the decisions that affect their lives. We have abolished regional strategies, and their top down renewable energy targets, and are encouraging local councils to work with their communities to set out in their Local Plan where developments for renewable energy should and should not take place. We have also been very clear that the views of local communities should be listened to.
	We have published planning guidance to help ensure planning decisions on green energy do get the environmental balance right in line with the National Planning Policy Framework. The guidance is designed to assist local councils in their consideration of Local Plans and individual planning applications. In publishing the guidance, we have been quite clear that the need for renewable energy does not automatically override environmental protections and the planning concerns of local communities. We have also introduced a new requirement for compulsory pre-application consultation with local communities for more significant onshore wind applications (i.e. of more than two turbines or where the hub height of any turbine exceeds 15 metres). This requirement took effect in December. We will shortly be publishing new planning guidance to help secure the intended improvements in how communities are engaged. This is available on the Department’s planning practice guidance website at:
	http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/
	These are all crucial steps in improving the quality of proposed onshore wind development and ensuring local communities are listened to.
	However, this Coalition Government appreciates the continuing concerns in communities when a local decision is challenged on appeal. It is important that local communities continue to have confidence in the appeals process and that the environmental balance expected by the Framework is being reflected in decisions on renewable energy developments.
	On 10 October 2013 I announced, Official Report, Column 30WS, a temporary change to the appeals recovery criteria, for a period of six months. In doing so, I explained that I wanted to give particular scrutiny to planning appeals involving renewable energy developments so that I could consider the extent to which the then new practice guidance was meeting our intentions.
	I am pleased to confirm that the guidance is helping ensure decisions do reflect the environmental balance set out in the Framework. I note, for example, that prior to the guidance, more appeals were approved than dismissed for more significant wind turbines. Since the guidance, more appeals have been dismissed than approved for more significant turbines. Every case should, of course, be considered on its individual merits in light of local circumstances and the material planning considerations.
	I am encouraged by the impact the guidance is having but do appreciate the continuing concerns in communities. I also recognise that the guidance is still relatively new and some development proposals may not yet have fully taken on board its clear intent. Therefore after careful consideration I have decided to
	extend the temporary change to the appeals recovery criteria, and continue to consider for recovery, appeals for renewable energy developments, for a further 12 months. This criterion is added to the recovery policy issued on 30 June 2008.
	For the avoidance of doubt, this does not mean that all renewable energy appeals will be recovered, but that planning Ministers may recover a number of appeals.

Railways: Access for All

Baroness Kramer: My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Stephen Hammond) has made the following Ministerial Statement on Tuesday 29th April 2014:
	Improving access to Great Britain’s railway stations is a key priority for this Government and so, despite the deficit, we have confirmed that the Access for All programme will continue. The existing programme will deliver an accessible, step free route at more than 150 key stations by March 2015 and has already delivered smaller scale accessibility improvements at more than 1,100 stations through the Small Schemes fund.
	I am therefore pleased to announce the stations which will benefit from the additional £100m we have made available to extend the Access for All programme from 2015 until 2019. The selected stations will, subject to a feasible design being possible, receive an accessible route into the station and to and between each platform.
	The stations due to benefit are:
	• Alfreton• Barry Town• Barnes• Battersea Park• Blackhorse Road• Blairhill• Cathays• Chatham• Cheltenham Spa• Elgin• Garforth• Godalming• Grays• Hamilton Central• Hebden Bridge• Hither Green• Kidsgrove• Leyland• Lichfield Trent Valley• Liverpool Central• Llanelli• Luton• Manningtree
	• Market Harborough• Northallerton• Peckham Rye• Penrith (North Lakes)• Petts Wood• Queen’s Park• Seven Sisters• Southend East• St Mary Cray• Streatham• Theale• Tottenham Hale• Trefforest• Virginia Water• Walton-on-Thames• Warwick• West Hampstead• Weston-Super-Mare• Whitton
	All work at the stations is due to be completed by the end of Rail Control Period 5 in 2019.
	These measures will make a real difference to people’s lives, not only opening up access to leisure and employment for disabled rail passengers but making it easier for those with heavy luggage or children in buggies to use the network.

Railways: Franchises

Baroness Kramer: My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Patrick McLoughlin) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	During Recess my officials concluded negotiations with Abellio Greater Anglia on a new Directly Awarded Franchise, which will see the company continue to provide passenger rail services for 27 months. This will secure continuity of service until the new competed franchise, expected to start in October 2016, is let.
	The agreement secures tangible benefits for passengers, including a refresh of the Mark III rolling stock fleet that will see the installation of power sockets, new carpets, new seat covers and better lighting. The new agreement also requires Abellio Greater Anglia to install Controlled Emission Toilets on to their train fleet, which will significantly reduce the amount of waste dropped onto the tracks on the network.
	New service improvements secured as part of the franchise agreement will double the current levels of off-peak services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport (between 09.00 and 16.00) on Mondays to Fridays and provide a significant number of additional Sunday services on some of the branch lines operated by Abellio Greater Anglia.
	This Direct Award lays the groundwork for the competed franchise to continue the improvements made to rail services in the region. It will also allow the
	findings and recommendations of the Norwich in Ninety Taskforce to be considered when the next franchise specification is developed.
	This new contract continues my Department’s successful franchising programme in line with the schedule I set out in March 2013 and recently. The government will continue to work in partnership with the private sector to deliver benefits for the industry, passengers and taxpayers.

Railways: Intercity Express Programme

Baroness Kramer: My Right Honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Patrick McLoughlin) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	On 24 July 2012, at the same time that the Great Western Intercity Express Programme (IEP) fleet was financed, commercial close was reached for the East Coast fleet of IEP trains. On 18 July 2013, I informed the House of my decision to exercise a pre-priced option within those contracts to extend the IEP train order for the East Coast Main Line by 270 further Class 800/801 vehicles, in addition to the existing order for 227 vehicles. The process to reach financial close for the whole fleet and to reach commercial close for the extended fleet has now finished, and I wish to inform the House of the results.
	I am pleased to announce that the East Coast IEP contract has been financed by Agility Trains East. Agility Trains will design, build, maintain and service the rolling stock and maintenance facilities for 497 new vehicles over the 27.5 year contract term. The value of the contract is £2.7bn. I would like to thank Agility and its constituent entities, Hitachi and John Lang, for their support.
	The IEP will see state-of-the-art new trains brought into operation on the East Coast Main Line in 2018 following their introduction on the Great Western Main Line in 2017. These faster, higher-capacity and more environmentally sustainable trains will improve passenger experience and comfort, and will provide 28% per cent more seats into Kings Cross at peak times, while delivering more reliable and efficient services. The trains will be operated by the winner of the Intercity East Coast competition that is currently live.
	Agility Trains has financed the fleet, but the Government is investing £330m on the East Coast Main Line, to ensure that the trains will be able to reach all of the destinations served by the current fleet.
	Overall the Government is investing £38bn to transform the rail network over the next five years - a record amount of funding that will generate growth, create jobs and boost business. The Intercity Express Programme is a vital part of that transformation with the trains being assembled in Newton Aycliffe, creating 730 jobs and securing more in the supply chain.
	The Government is committed to using investment in transport as an engine for growth. This deal will benefit passengers and communities both along the East Coast Main Line and in other parts of the country.

Regional Growth Fund

Viscount Younger of Leckie: My Rt hon Friend the Minister of State for Business and Energy (Michael Fallon) has today made the following statement.
	Today my Right hon Friend the Deputy Prime Minister will announce that 50 projects and programmes have been awarded a total of £300 million in Round 5 of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF).
	This support will help an increasing number of companies to invest in long term job creation in communities where the need is greatest, and bring in £1.9 billion in private investment. I am publishing a list of all 50 projects and programmes that have been selected for support in Round 5 at Annex A.
	In the June 2013 Spending Round allocation, announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Government announced a further £600 million to be available for bids in Rounds 5 and 6 of the RGF, bringing the fund total to £3.2 billion. Of this £600 million, £100 million was passed to the Local Growth Fund which will support Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) initiatives from 2015/16. The remaining £500m is available to fund Rounds 5 and 6. The application window for Round 5 ran from October to December 2013 and the fund appraised 129 bids seeking a total of £650m. Unlike previous rounds, following the creation of the Local Growth Fund for LEPs, Round 5 was only open to private sector led bids.
	Since the start of the RGF over £1.5 billion has been made available to SMEs in England through RGF supported programmes. Further details on how the RGF helps support SMEs can be found here:
	https://www.gov.uk/regional-growth-fund-a-guide-for-small-and-medium-enterprises-smes.
	Round 6 of the RGF will continue to help secure private sector investment and job creation when it opens to bids in the summer of 2014.
	Annex A—list of selected bidders in Round 5
	East Midlands
	Dalepak Limited
	Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry
	University of Derby
	East of England
	Hayward Tyler Limited (HTL)
	Millbrook Proving Ground Limited
	Nationwide
	Avanti Communications Group plc
	Close Brothers Ltd
	Compass Business Finance Limited
	Finance For Industry Limited
	The Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc
	North East
	Cleveland Potash Limited (CPL)
	Cummins Ltd
	Fine Industries Limited
	Gestamp Tallent Limited
	Huntsman Polyurethanes (UK) Ltd
	Hydram Engineering Limited
	JDR Cable Systems Limited
	Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Limited (JM Davy)
	Let's Grow
	Tinsley Special Products Limited
	TRW Systems Ltd
	North West
	Absynth Biologics Ltd
	Glen Dimplex Home Appliances Ltd.
	GT Energy UK Limited
	Nice-Pak International Ltd
	North West Logistics Limited (“NWL”)
	Redx Pharma Ltd
	Unilever UK Central Resources Limited
	South East & London
	Elekta Ltd
	Farnborough International Limited (FIL)
	KEWS Kent Woodland Employment Scheme
	South West
	Becton Dickinson U.K. Limited
	Cornwall Marine Network Limited
	Dyson Technology Limited
	Fine Tubes Limited
	Gooch and Housego (Torquay) Ltd
	North Devon+
	SPP Pumps Limited
	West Midlands
	Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd
	Bournville College/Trinity Mirror Midands
	HydraForce Hydraulics Ltd
	Maier UK Ltd
	MTCE Ltd
	Sense and Sense International
	Sertec
	Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce
	Yorkshire and The Humber
	Anglia Metal Limited
	Really Useful Products Limited
	Reckitt Benckiser (Brands) Limited
	UK Steel Enterprise Ltd

Republic of Ireland: Financial Assistance

Lord Deighton: My right honourable friend, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Nicky Morgan) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	HM Treasury has today provided a further report to Parliament in relation to the bilateral loan to Ireland as required under the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. The report relates to the period from 1 October 2013 to 31 March 2014.
	A Written Ministerial Statement on the previous statutory report regarding the loan to Ireland was issued to Parliament on 8 October 2013, Official Report, col. 1WS.

Schools: Careers Guidance

Lord Nash: My honourable Friend Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise (Matthew Hancock MP) made the following announcement.
	As part of plans to reform the education and skills systems we need better support to prepare young people for the world of work.
	Today I am publishing revised statutory guidance, “Careers guidance and inspiration in schools”, which will be effective from September 2014.
	As evidence shows that the best people to inspire and guide young people are those in good careers themselves, this guidance strengthens the requirement for schools to build links with employers to inspire and mentor pupils, helping them to develop high aspirations and fulfil their potential.
	The guidance sets a clear framework for the provision of advice and guidance, giving schools clarity on the required approach to ensure that expectations are set high, and all young people can access the support they need to understand and navigate an ambitious range of career options.
	The guidance emphasises the need to provide pupils with direct experience of the world of work, a clear view of the labour market and a good understanding of progression routes through education, including apprenticeships and university. The guidance highlights the benefits of pupils having face-to-face discussions to explore career ideas with a range of people including alumni, careers advisers, coaches, mentors and other inspiring individuals. There is now no excuse for schools and colleges not to engage local employers to support students in the transition from education to employment.
	Departmental advice published alongside the guidance provides examples of inspiring activities that can be embedded within a clear advice and guidance strategy linked to outcomes for pupils. It also contains details of organisations that help to broker relationships between schools and employers. and case studies demonstrating high quality advice and guidance. This paints a clear picture of what good careers guidance looks like, offering evidence of what works.
	The guidance sets out clearly how schools will be held to account, confirming Ofsted’s intention to take greater account during school inspections of the quality of careers guidance and of pupils’ destinations. This sits alongside the new accountability structures published last week, which will hold schools to account for pupil destinations, as well as English and Maths and exam results.
	The new guidance is available on the government website www.gov.uk and copies have been placed in the House libraries.

Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less Lethal Weapons

Lord Astor of Hever: My hon. Friend the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans (Anna Soubry) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 13 September 2013 I announced to Parliament through a written ministerial statement (Official Report, column 69WS), the commencement of the triennial review of the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Medical Implications of Less-Lethal Weapons (SACMILL). I am now pleased to announce the completion of the review.
	SACMILL plays an important role providing independent, specialist advice across Government on the medical implications of the use of less lethal weapons; those whose design and intention is to control and then neutralise a threat without substantial risk of serious or permanent injury or death. Such devices include water cannon and the Taser.
	The review concludes that the functions performed by SACMILL are still required. The review also looked at the governance arrangements for the body in line with guidance on good corporate governance set out by the Cabinet Office. The report makes some recommendations in this respect, mainly around its own governance structure and its relationships with its customers. The Ministry of Defence will be looking at how best to take forward these recommendations.
	The full report of the review of SACMILL can be found on the gov.uk website and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

Scottish Independence: Work and Pensions

Lord Freud: My right honourable friend, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mr Iain Duncan Smith MP, has made the following Ministerial Statement.
	I laid before the House on 23 April 2014 the latest paper in the Government’s Scotland analysis programme, “Scotland analysis: Work and Pensions”. This series of publications is designed to inform the debate on Scotland’s future within the United Kingdom ahead of this year’s referendum.
	The paper sets out why a UK-wide social security system and labour market works well for Scotland. It considers how the UK’s broad tax base ensures Scotland benefits from secure and stable funding and how by pooling resources, variations in demand for social security support in one part of the UK can be absorbed without varying the levels of funding received by individuals. It sets out how by remaining in the UK both the higher levels of social security expenditure in Scotland and future costs pressures from an ageing population are more affordable.
	In the future the number of pensioners is predicted to increase, and cost pressures will increase accordingly. The paper highlights that an independent Scottish state would face a more acute challenge than the UK as a whole, both from demographic change, and its ability to absorb the impacts from a narrower tax base. The paper finds that an independent Scottish state could face additional social security costs rising to around £1.55 billion per year over the next 20 years (in today’s terms) as a result of demographic changes and policy commitments by the current Scottish Government. This would result in a total increased cost of around £450 per working-age person per year in Scotland over the next 20 years, than if spending per working-age person was at average UK levels.
	The paper also sets out how an independent Scottish state would also face costs and complexity from unpicking the UK’s integrated social security infrastructure. It explains there would be costs in developing and setting up new systems while running costs could increase as economies of scale are lost. The UK Government would do nothing to put at risk the continuity of payments to its own citizens and would not be prepared to incur significant costs to change IT systems to cater for a different approach in Scotland. The paper also finds that if Scotland does not use sterling as its currency, it would not be possible to share a benefit system even for a transitional period.
	The paper concludes that Scotland’s citizens and employers benefit from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland as part of it.

Senior Salaries Review Body: Triennial Review

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: My right honourable friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Francis Maude) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	On 5 March 2014 I announced in Parliament through a Written Ministerial Statement the commencement of the Triennial Review of the Review Body on Senior Salaries (SSRB). I am now pleased to announce the completion of the Review.
	The work of the SSRB, and the publication of its annual reports on senior salaries, provides transparency and allows for public scrutiny of senior pay. This review has concluded that the Body remains fit for purpose, delivering functions which continue to be relevant and beneficial to the Government within an appropriate governance framework. However, the SSRB of the future must be strong, with sufficiently skilled and competent members to make robustly evidenced and sensibly judged advice to government. As a result, a number of recommendations have been made to improve the governance and composition of the SSRB.
	The Triennial Review has been carried out with the participation of a wide range of interested parties across Government. I am grateful to all those who contributed to this Triennial Review. The final report has been placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Traffic Signs

Baroness Kramer: My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Goodwill) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	I can today inform the House that the Department for Transport has launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2002. The consultation will close on 12 June 2014.
	These proposals represent significant changes to the existing regulatory regime, arising from the recommendations of a broad range of stakeholders as part of the Traffic Signs Policy Review. The proposed changes include: reductions in sign lighting requirements; measures to help improve road user understanding, reduced sign clutter and a range of improvements for cyclists.
	To supplement the consultation process, Officials have scheduled a series of industry seminars to be held around Great Britain during May.
	The successor regulations will come into force in early 2015.

Vehicles: Carbon Emissions

Baroness Kramer: My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Goodwill) has made the following Ministerial Statement:
	I am pleased to inform the House that my Right Honourable Friend, the Deputy Prime Minister, has announced today the key elements of a comprehensive package of measures to support ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) between 2015 and 2020. This follows the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2013 Spending Round that the Government will make £500m available to support ULEVs in this period.
	The outline package of measures confirms the UK Government’s strong commitment to making the UK a premier location for the design, manufacture and adoption of ULEVs. It aims to provide a long term, stable and comprehensive policy framework backed by a significant funding commitment. The package gives certainty on grant support for consumer incentives, provides funding for vital infrastructure, recognises the importance of other vehicle sectors including buses, taxis and HGVs and provides guaranteed funding for ULEV-specific R&D. It also encourages innovative measures from cities to turn their areas into exemplars for ULEV take-up.
	Key elements include:
	• At least £200m for the continuation of the plug-in car grant, with the grant cap remaining at £5,000 per car until a review in 2017, or the first 50,000 vehicles, whichever is the sooner;• £100m for ULEV-specific R&D;
	• £35m for a new city scheme competition, to support flagship cities in introducing innovative local measures;• £20m for ULEV taxis;• £30m for low emission buses;• £32m for infrastructure including rapid chargers;• £31m for other ULEV types including vans; and• £4m for HGV gas refuelling infrastructure.
	I can confirm that the Government is also seeking to adopt a flexible approach. Not all the £500m funding is allocated here, and minimum allocations are given which could be extended to reflect market conditions. Many elements of the package, including the consumer incentives, are also subject to securing the necessary State Aid approvals from Europe.
	More information on the package can be found at www.gov.uk/olev and further detail will be made available by autumn 2014.